Is It a New Bull?
We're seeing more "Is it a new bull?" chatter. Stocks are set to open strongly today, the first trading day of a week shortened by the Memorial Day Monday holiday. They exploded upward to kick off last week. A new bull?
This sort of action more resembles bounce action. In fact, it closely resemble a typical bear market rally. Will it suck in individual investors now, afraid of missing out, only to smash them in the teeth whilst fleecing them of their money? I hope not.
But there it is, the sort of action that rouses the emotions and infuses the brain with the sort of decision-making that can lead to disaster. It's just the way of markets. They love to play with us, mess with out minds.
Today might be a good day to attend to other matters rather than stare at a stock screen. Our allocation remains as is and there's nothing (so far) that indicates any reason for change. Staring at a screen under these circumstances can only create some imagined, ginned-up emotionally driven "logic" that will urge us to "do something." That's not good.
Fortunately, there's a pretty heavy lists of tasks the business has lined up for me. Clients' lives have been impacted by this C-virus mess, as have our lives, and sorting through some of the concerns and problems that have arisen as a result takes up a chunk of our "Planner's Brain." So we'll put our energy into such matters rather than ruminate about the stock market or other markets for that matter.
Meanwhile, how was your Memorial Day weekend? We did have a family BBQ, although certain family members who might have attended in a normal world didn't come to share. Being outside in near-perfect afternoon weather was, however refreshing. And getting back in the saddle with our Weber charcoal, while requiring work, imparts some pleasure as well.
But that's all in the past now, another BBQ in the great Pantheon of Past Pleasures. Now it's on to the day's labor.
Despite the challenge of tackling tasks after a holiday respite, I'm simply grateful to have honest work to pursue. A lot of folks can't say the same.
Today's stock rally may kick off comments about how stocks are telling us the future looks bright. There will stories of COVID vaccines being tested, of the "re-opening" of businesses in various parts of the country. I wouldn't invest too much time and attention to all this. Of course vaccines are being tested. Of course businesses re-opening is better than remaining closed. But what will it all add up to in the near to intermediate term. Will the whole C-virus mess just dissipate in a heartbeat? Will the economy fire up and lead us all to the promised land of great prosperity?
Does that sound right to you? It doesn't really sit will with me. But, hey, you never know.
This sort of action more resembles bounce action. In fact, it closely resemble a typical bear market rally. Will it suck in individual investors now, afraid of missing out, only to smash them in the teeth whilst fleecing them of their money? I hope not.
But there it is, the sort of action that rouses the emotions and infuses the brain with the sort of decision-making that can lead to disaster. It's just the way of markets. They love to play with us, mess with out minds.
Today might be a good day to attend to other matters rather than stare at a stock screen. Our allocation remains as is and there's nothing (so far) that indicates any reason for change. Staring at a screen under these circumstances can only create some imagined, ginned-up emotionally driven "logic" that will urge us to "do something." That's not good.
Fortunately, there's a pretty heavy lists of tasks the business has lined up for me. Clients' lives have been impacted by this C-virus mess, as have our lives, and sorting through some of the concerns and problems that have arisen as a result takes up a chunk of our "Planner's Brain." So we'll put our energy into such matters rather than ruminate about the stock market or other markets for that matter.
Meanwhile, how was your Memorial Day weekend? We did have a family BBQ, although certain family members who might have attended in a normal world didn't come to share. Being outside in near-perfect afternoon weather was, however refreshing. And getting back in the saddle with our Weber charcoal, while requiring work, imparts some pleasure as well.
But that's all in the past now, another BBQ in the great Pantheon of Past Pleasures. Now it's on to the day's labor.
Despite the challenge of tackling tasks after a holiday respite, I'm simply grateful to have honest work to pursue. A lot of folks can't say the same.
Today's stock rally may kick off comments about how stocks are telling us the future looks bright. There will stories of COVID vaccines being tested, of the "re-opening" of businesses in various parts of the country. I wouldn't invest too much time and attention to all this. Of course vaccines are being tested. Of course businesses re-opening is better than remaining closed. But what will it all add up to in the near to intermediate term. Will the whole C-virus mess just dissipate in a heartbeat? Will the economy fire up and lead us all to the promised land of great prosperity?
Does that sound right to you? It doesn't really sit will with me. But, hey, you never know.
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